Social Class and achievement - External Factors

Question 1

What percentage of failing schools are in deprived areas?

Answer 1

90%

Question 2

Define material deprivation

Answer 2

the lack of necessities that can be purchased or owned, e.g. in education = text books, revision guides.

Question 3

In terms of material deprivation, what did Howard (2001) note?

Answer 3

• Young people from poorer home have lower intake of energy, vitamins and minerals
  –> effects health –> weakens immune system
  = more absences due to illness, difficulty concentrating.

Question 4

In terms of material deprivation, what did Wilkinson (1996) find?

Answer 4

• Among 10 year old’s, the lower the social class, the higher the levels of hyperactivity, conduct disorders etc.

Question 5

In terms of material deprivation, what did Bull (1980) find?

Answer 5

• The cost of free schooling’
• Lack of financial support means children from poorer houses have to do without equipment and experiences that could be beneficial.

Question 6

What did Flaherty note about FSM?

Answer 6

• Stigmatisation may help explain why 20% of those eligible for FSM do not take up their entitlement.

Question 7

In terms of material deprivation, what did Ridge note?

Answer 7

• Lack of funds lead to children taking on jobs; such as baby sitting, having a negative impact on education.

Question 8

In terms of material deprivation, what did Callender and Jackson (2005) note?

Answer 8

• Financial restrictions –> more debt averse –> less likely to apply for Uni.

Question 9

In terms of material deprivation, what did Waldfogel + Washbrook (2010) note?

Answer 9

Poor housing, overcrowding, cold or damp housing –> tiredness, more illnesses etc

Question 10

How does material deprivation relate to a catchment area?

Answer 10

Outstanding performing schools house prices go up in the catchment area, ostracising poor people from these areas and thus better education.

Question 11

What is cultural deprivation?

Answer 11

A lack of dominant values, attitudes and skills acquired through primary socialisation.

Question 12

In terms of cultural deprivation, what did Douglas note?

Answer 12

Parental involvement and primary socialisation were the key reasons for class underachievement.

Question 13

In relation to what Douglas found, explain how parental involvement was shown?

Answer 13

1) More frequent visits to the school to discuss their children’s education.
2) More interested and encouraging as the children grow older, when exam options are selected and career choices loom.
3) Want children to stay on beyond minimum leaving age.

Question 14

In relation to what Douglas found, explain how primary socialisation benefited educational achievement?

Answer 14

M/c children receive greater attention and stimulus from their parents, also encouraging their children to do their best across the board
= early years advantage.

Question 15

In terms of cultural deprivation, critically evaluate Douglas

Answer 15

1) W/c may have less time to attend due to demands of the job, e.g. shift work or long hours
2) W/c may be put off by teacher interactions.
3) Fails to take into account the organisation of schools and teacher expectations.
4) Stigmatisation of others.
5) May want to help but knowledge to do so is lacking.

Question 16

In terms of cultural deprivation, how does parental level of education affect their child’s educational attainment?

Answer 16

• Know how to benefit children in and out school, e.g. meeting teachers and extra-curricular activities.

Question 17

In terms of cultural deprivation, what 4 attitudes and values did Sugarman (1970) note the w/c had?

Answer 17

1) Fatalism - acceptance of the situation instead of trying to improve it; discourage effort required for exam success.
2) Immediate gratification - seeking pleasure now rather than making sacrifices for future rewards.
3) Present-time orientation - seeing the present as more important than the future –> no long-term goals.
4) Collectivism - values on being part of a group rather than succeeding as an individual.

Question 18

In terms of cultural deprivation, critically evaluate Sugarman’s ideas

Answer 18

1) Sugarman’s data based off questionnaire which contains their own flaws.
2) May be realistic rather than fatalistic?
3) May defer gratification if they had the resources to do so.
4) May plan for future if opportunities are available.

Question 19

In terms of cultural deprivation, what two speech variations did Bernstein (1971) find? Explain them.

Answer 19

1) Restricted code - used by w/c
- limited vocab, based on short, colloquial, grammatically simple sentences.
- exams based on m/c understanding and language, thus doing worse in terms of marks and grades.

2) Elaborated code - used by m/c
- more complex sentences, that are able to convey more abstract ideas.
- teachers use it, exams too, as well as textbooks.

Question 20

In terms of cultural deprivation, critically evaluate Bernstein’s idea of elaborated and restricted code

Answer 20

1) Makes assumptions of whole classes; differences between classes, way each code is used is also different.
2) Little evidence for these claims.

3) Labov (1973) - in his study of Harlem, NY found that w/c speakers are more effective in their points; m/c not.
= elaborated code not superior

Question 21

Who devised the term ‘cultural capital’ and what is it?

Answer 21

(i) Bourdieu
(ii) CC = set of ideas possessed by a social class, in to which people are socialised, and which influences their cultural tastes and choices
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This culture obtains a capital early on.
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It’s rewarded highly in qualification; favours the m/c culture. Knowledge is imposed from the dominant class.
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Cultural capital –> educational capital –> economic capital

Higher classes possess more CC = have an advantage.

Question 22

In terms of cultural capital, what did Sullivan (2001) find?

Answer 22

• Find that children of higher cultural capital were children of graduates
  = their capital –> more success at GCSEs
• Also found those with similar cultural capital in different classes did worse than m/c
  = greater resources and aspirations.

Question 23

In terms of cultural capital, what did Reay find?

Answer 23

• W/c mothers work just as hard as m/c mothers, but to no avail. (because of cultural capital)
• m/c mothers = more qualifications –> helped out with homework, sorting out problems with teachers
• w/c mothers = plucked up courage to go in
• m/c knew what the school expected, w/c mothers lacked the ability and knowledge to do so.

Question 24

Critically evaluate the idea of cultural deprivation

Answer 24

1) Exaggerates differences; overlooking similarities.
2) Overlooking practical difficulties, e.g. work and lack of self-confidence.
3) Blaming families can lead to stigmatising and formulations of stereotypes as ‘born failures’ –> leading to processes that can affect achievement (e.g. attention from teachers) –> SFP.
4) Keddie (1973) - no cultural deprivation just differences which aren’t taken with favour
5) Blame game?